Presentation Title

Presenter Information

Brief Biography

I have been an educator for 25 years. I spent my first 12 years as a teacher in both the general and special education settings. I have worked with elementary school students in kindergarten, first, and third grades. I have taught children with Severe Emotional Behavioral concerns, autism, and learning disabilities. For the past 12 years I have worked as a school psychologist in both Henry and Monroe Counties.

Highest Degree of Presenter(s)

Heather Peebles-Bradley ED.S in School Psychology

Presentation Abstract

In 2014 our school system piloted a program to help ninth students who were at-risk for failure to graduate. The results were far better than we ever could have imagined.

The program involves several steps. First, we identified at-risk students based on behavior referrals, attendance, number of nurses visits, and poor grades. Once these students were identified, they were given the opportunity to participate in a program that involved social skills classes (two days a week), Anger Replacement Training (one day per week), and Check-In, Check-Out and study skills/organizational training (two days per week). Students were able to set short-term and long-term goals, taught how to monitor their progress toward meeting those goals, and could set and earn rewards for meeting them. Additional supports were also provided in the form of parent contact, teacher consultations, scheduling tutorials, individual meetings with the counselor and/or psychologist, and effective communication strategies. We worked closely with parents to keep them informed of their student’s progress and help them to implement the school supports in the home setting.

Qualitative and quantitative data from pre- and post-intervention assessments indicated an increased feeling of belongingness in the school setting, decreased stress and anxiety at school (with moderate decreases in the home setting), decreased discipline referrals for the targeted population, increase in school attendance, and fewer reports of feelings of anger and aggression. Minimal impact was seen in the number of visits to the nurse and end-of-year grades.

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Improving Student Outcomes: A Comprehensive Program for At-Risk Students

In 2014 our school system piloted a program to help ninth students who were at-risk for failure to graduate. The results were far better than we ever could have imagined.

The program involves several steps. First, we identified at-risk students based on behavior referrals, attendance, number of nurses visits, and poor grades. Once these students were identified, they were given the opportunity to participate in a program that involved social skills classes (two days a week), Anger Replacement Training (one day per week), and Check-In, Check-Out and study skills/organizational training (two days per week). Students were able to set short-term and long-term goals, taught how to monitor their progress toward meeting those goals, and could set and earn rewards for meeting them. Additional supports were also provided in the form of parent contact, teacher consultations, scheduling tutorials, individual meetings with the counselor and/or psychologist, and effective communication strategies. We worked closely with parents to keep them informed of their student’s progress and help them to implement the school supports in the home setting.

Qualitative and quantitative data from pre- and post-intervention assessments indicated an increased feeling of belongingness in the school setting, decreased stress and anxiety at school (with moderate decreases in the home setting), decreased discipline referrals for the targeted population, increase in school attendance, and fewer reports of feelings of anger and aggression. Minimal impact was seen in the number of visits to the nurse and end-of-year grades.